Share “Oklahoma football: Sooners' defense shines...”

Oklahoma football: Sooners' defense shines in first half

NORMAN — Bob Stoops wasn't about to let some shakiness at the end overshadow the night his defense had Saturday in the Sooners' 20-17 win over TCU.

Oklahoma's Zack Sanchez (15) breaks up a pass intended for TCU's Brandon Carter (3) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the TCU Horned Frogs at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013. Oklahoma won 20-17. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

For many years it's been the offense leading the way to most Sooner wins.

This year, in Mike Stoops' second season back as defensive coordinator, it's becoming common for the defense to bring OU home to victory.

That was the case against the Horned Frogs, with the defense playing near flawless in the first half while the Sooners offense wasn't exactly chugging along.

Through the first half, TCU had no first downs. They didn't even get particularly close, with a couple of third-and-sixes the nearest the Horned Frogs got to a first down in the first two quarters.

“I don't think that's happened with anyone that I've been a part of,” Bob Stoops said. “They played sensational. The guys were aggressive, fast, played the run, played the pass really well.”

The Sooners did it by bottling up speedy TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin, getting pressure on him from the outside and not allowing him to find extra time--or room to run--on the outside.

Boykin rushed for 18 yards on 12 carries and threw for just 166--45 on one play late

“He's a tough guy to pin down for a whole game,” Mike Stoops said. “We wanted to keep edge pressure to try to keep him contained.

“We wanted to make things uncomfortable if we could for him. For the most part we did. We got disorganized late in the third quarter.”

The Horned Frogs also went three-and-out on the first drive of the third, stretching the Sooners' streak of holding teams without a first down to 10 consecutive drives going back to the Notre Dame game.

MORE FROM NEWSOK

Ryan Aber has worked for The Oklahoman since 2006, covering high schools, the Oklahoma City RedHawks, the Oklahoma City Barons and OU football recruiting. An Oklahoma City native, Aber graduated from Northeastern State. Before joining The...